How to dispose of your garbage, used items and bulky waste

Do you want to start the new school year with a clean studio? Let's clean things up nicely. Maybe you can make someone else happy with the stuff or clothing you don't use. That way, you are being sustainable! This is how you get rid of the waste after you've cleaned up.

First, separate small waste and throw it in the waste container. Bulky waste includes large items that don't fit in the container, such as microwaves, old mattresses, and carpets. In this article, we'll explain what to do with all your waste.

Residual waste

Separate your waste and throw it in the designated container. In Amsterdam and Leiden, you can separate glass, cardboard, residual waste, bulky waste, and textile waste. Plastic waste can be thrown in with the residual waste because an external separation plant will separate and process all plastics. Easy!

Large cardboard boxes  

Flatten your boxes, make them small, and put them in the container marked 'Papier' or bring them to a Waste Collection Point ('Afvalpunt') free of charge. Wet paper or cardboard with food stains should not be thrown into the paper container but in the residual waste container. These cannot be recycled into new paper and will contaminate other paper and cardboard.

Bulky waste

Bulky waste includes large items that don’t fit in the container, such as electrical goods, appliances, and furniture. Please note: large cardboard boxes belong in the container market ‘papier’ or can be disposed of at a Waste Collection Point (’Afvalpunt’) free of charge. 

Amsterdam:

Do you have bulky waste? Enter your address below to see on which day the municipality will come by. Is there no available day? Make an appointment using amsterdam.nl/grofafval or call 14 020 to make an appointment free of charge. Put your bulky waste in a permanent place. Often this is on a specific sidewalk tile with ‘Grofvuil’ on it. If there is no permanent place for bulky waste, put it on the sidewalk's edge. Make sure to keep the space around the waste containers clear at all times. Put your waste outside no earlier than 21:00 on the evening before collection. It will be collected after 07:00 the following day. You can also take your bulky waste to your neighborhood's Waste Collection Point ('Afvalpunt') for free. 

Leiden:

You can make an appointment free of charge online or call 14 071. After making an appointment, your bulky waste will be picked up between scheduled hours. Make sure you leave your bulky waste at the side of the road to avoid inconvenience. You can also bring your items to Municipal Recycling Facility, which is located at J.C. De Rijpstraat 11. For more information, see gemeente.leiden.nl.

Textile Waste

Textile recycling bins are often placed alongside the paper, glass, and plastic recycling bins provided by the municipality. Textiles include clothing, shoes, towels, bed linen, and pillows. The textile must be clean and dry. Therefore, put the textile in a plastic bag and tie the bag tightly before placing it in a container. Check this map for the textile containers in Amsterdam and Leiden.  The most sustainable thing you can do with used clothes is to bring them to secondhand clothes shops in Amsterdam or Leiden or to sell them on Vinted or Marktplaats.

Sell it online  

Do you want to be sustainable and make someone else happy with your used items? Sell it on Marktplaats or Facebook Marketplace. Feeling generous and willing to give it to your neighbors? Post it in the Facebook group of your location, be sure to keep it in your room until your neighbor comes by. Due to fire risk, you are not allowed to put items in the hallway for free pick-up. 

Stick to the rules!        

Each municipality has rules about waste. If you don't follow these rules, you are risking a fine of at least € 99,-. You can save a lot of money by disposing of your waste in the container and placing bulky waste outside at the right moment.

 

 

 

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